News & Events

Minister for Business & Employment welcomes continuing fall in unemployment

Unemployment rate now stands at 9.4%

The Minister for Business & Employment Ged Nash TD is welcoming the continuing fall in the rate of unemployment. According to the Central Statistics Office the unemployment rate for September is 9.4%, down from 9.5% in August.

This figure is 1.5% lower than during the same period last year and equates to a decrease of more than 28,000. There has been a monthly drop in the number of unemployed of 800.

Minister Nash said, “In the space of one year, 28,100 people have re-joined the workforce after a period of unemployment. That is really fantastic news for those people, their families and the wider communities in which they live. The CSO figures today show that the Government’s twin-track approach through the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work is delivering real jobs and real results.”

“We have an ambitious target of delivering full employment in this country by 2018 and today’s figures show that while there is still much work to be done, particularly in ensuring those who are long-term unemployed are assisted with the skills and the confidence to get a job, we are steadily making progress.”

“The Capital Plan which the Government is announcing today will see €27 billion spent on roads, rail, health facilities, schools and other infrastructure. This will not only act as a stimulus spread throughout every region in the country but will also support 45,000 jobs in construction alone during the lifetime of the plan.”

“The jobs element alone is very welcome and I believe will help us to reduce our unemployment rate even further.”

Today’s figures from the CSO also show that youth unemployment is gradually reducing.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation Press Office - 01 631 2200 or press.office@djei.ie